Quick answer: buy the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus (about ₹5,500) unless you only ever use mainstream apps. The 4K Select (about ₹4,000) runs Vega OS, which blocks sideloading, and it has no Dolby Vision.
Fire TV Stick 4K Plus vs Select is the choice Amazon.in puts in front of you the moment you search for a 4K stick, and the two listings look almost identical. Same shape, same Alexa Voice Remote, photos you can barely tell apart, and about ₹1,500 between them.
Inside they’re different devices. The Plus runs Fire OS, plays Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos, and lets you sideload apps like Kodi and Stremio. The Select runs Amazon’s newer Vega OS, lists HDR10+ only, and doesn’t allow sideloading. Here’s how that plays out, and which one fits your TV.
Fire TV Stick 4K Plus vs Select at a glance
| Stick | Price on Amazon.in | Software | Sideloading | Dolby Vision | HDR10+ | Dolby Atmos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire TV Stick 4K Plus | About ₹5,500 | Fire OS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fire TV Stick 4K Select | About ₹4,000 | Vega OS | No | Not listed | Yes | Not listed |
Software: Vega OS on the 4K Select, Fire OS on the Plus
This is the difference that decides it. Vega OS is Amazon’s new Linux-based system for Fire TV sticks, and it blocks the usual way of installing Android apps from outside the store. So the 4K Select can’t run Kodi, Stremio or Nuvio the normal way. AFTVnews found that apps sideloaded onto the Select eventually stopped launching.
The 4K Plus stays on Fire OS, so sideloading works as it always has. Amazon has also said it will keep updating the 4K Plus and 4K Max until 2030, which is a long runway for a stick at this price. Amazon has said future Fire TV sticks will run Vega OS, so the Plus is the one to get if you want Fire OS for years.
If you only watch Netflix, Prime Video, JioHotstar and YouTube, both sticks run them fine. The Select also plays Xbox Game Pass cloud games. Not sure which OS a stick in your house runs? Check the build number in its settings: a version starting with 1 is Vega OS, and versions 3 to 14 are Fire OS. My Kodi, Stremio and Nuvio guide lists which boxes run those apps.
Picture and sound
Both sticks stream in 4K with HDR10+. Only the Plus lists Dolby Vision, and that matters on most TVs sold in India: LG, Sony and most TCL and Xiaomi sets use Dolby Vision. A Samsung TV skips Dolby Vision and uses HDR10+, so on a Samsung the Select gives up less.
For sound, the Plus lists Dolby Atmos, so a soundbar on your TV’s eARC port gets Atmos from Netflix and Prime Video. The Select doesn’t list Atmos. Neither stick lists DTS or TrueHD passthrough. If you’re planning a soundbar upgrade, my budget soundbar picks are a good start, and the Plus is the stick to pair with one.
Wi-Fi and Ethernet
The Plus has Wi-Fi 6. Neither stick has an Ethernet port, so on a weak Wi-Fi signal you’d add Amazon’s Ethernet adapter for Fire TV; check the compatibility list on its page first. If the router sits far from the TV, a better Wi-Fi router or a range extender will help either stick more than anything else.
Fire TV Stick 4K Plus price and how you buy each
Both are sold on Amazon.in, so there’s no import and no wait. The 4K Plus sits at about ₹5,500 and moves between roughly ₹4,500 and ₹7,000 with Amazon’s sales. The Select is about ₹4,000, in a band of roughly ₹3,500 to ₹5,500. Delivery is usually a day or two.
Because the listings look so alike, read the model name in the title before you pay. “4K Plus” and “4K Select” are the words to look for. The buttons below go straight to the right listing for each.
Fire TV Stick 4K Plus
The one to buy. Dolby Vision, Atmos and sideloading for about ₹5,500.
Pros
- Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos
- Fire OS, so Kodi and Stremio sideload
- Wi-Fi 6
- Amazon will update it until 2030
Cons
- No built-in Ethernet
- No DTS or TrueHD passthrough
For a bedroom TV or a first streaming device, this is all most people need. The Alexa Voice Remote also turns the TV on and off and controls volume, so one remote does the lot. It’s far less powerful than a Fire TV Cube or a Google TV Streamer, but for streaming apps you won’t feel it.
Fire TV Stick 4K Select
The cheapest 4K stick, and fine if you stick to the big streaming apps.
Pros
- About ₹1,500 less than the Plus
- 4K with HDR10+
- Alexa Voice Remote with TV power and volume
- Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming
Cons
- Vega OS blocks sideloading
- No Dolby Vision or Atmos listed
- No built-in Ethernet
- Looks just like the Plus, so it’s easy to buy by mistake
The Select makes sense for a parent’s TV or a spare room where nobody will ever install anything beyond Netflix and Prime Video. On a Samsung TV, which uses HDR10+ anyway, it loses even less. If there’s any chance you’ll want Kodi or Stremio later, spend the extra ₹1,500 on the Plus now.
On a Full HD TV you don’t need either. The Fire TV Stick HD costs about ₹3,000. The first-generation HD runs Fire OS and the second-generation HD runs Vega OS, so check the build number if sideloading matters to you.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Fire TV Stick 4K Select good?
It’s good for mainstream apps at the lowest 4K price. It streams in 4K with HDR10+ and has the same remote as the Plus. It can’t sideload apps and doesn’t list Dolby Vision, so most people are better off with the Plus.
What is the difference between the Fire TV Stick 4K and 4K Plus?
Amazon.in’s 4K line-up is now the 4K Plus and the 4K Select. If a listing just says “4K”, read the full model name. The Plus is the Fire OS stick with Dolby Vision and Atmos; the Select is the Vega OS stick without them.
Which is better, the Firestick 4K Select or the 4K Max?
The 4K Max, if you want sideloading. It stays on Fire OS with updates until 2030, while the Select runs Vega OS and can’t sideload apps.
Firestick 4K Plus vs 4K Max: which is better?
Both run Fire OS, both sideload, and Amazon will update both until 2030. The 4K Plus already covers Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Atmos at about ₹5,500, so it’s the one I’d buy unless the Max is close in price on the day.
Verdict
Buy the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus. For about ₹1,500 more than the Select you get Dolby Vision, Atmos, sideloading and Fire OS updates until 2030. Pick the Select only for a TV that will never run anything beyond the big streaming apps. If you want a step up with built-in Ethernet and Alexa you can talk to across the room, look at the Fire TV Cube, or the Google TV Streamer for Google TV. The bigger boxes I import are covered in how I buy gadgets from Amazon US, and the full ranking is in best streaming device in India.
